Gov. Perdue Backs Better Pay For Principals, Teachers

Gov. Sonny Perdue is backing measures that would bolster the pay of high school principals, new math and science teachers and veteran instructors. The measures would give high school principals a $10,000 bonus based on the school's graduation rate and test scores. Another proposal would give a pay raise of up to 15 percent to teachers willing to serve as "instructional leaders" to their peers. And a third proposal would give new math and science teachers the same salary as a fifth-year teacher.

(Associated Press)

Flap over bonuses for lottery officials

Some top Georgia Republicans have called for a review of bonuses paid to Georgia Lottery officials. Nearly three-million dollars in bonuses were collected this year by Lottery president Margaret DeFrancisco and her employees. Some state legislators are baffled by the amounts, in the wake of tightened requirements for the lottery-funded HOPE scholarship. House Higher Education Committee Chair Bill Hembree has called the bonus figures "insane". Lottery officials say the bonuses are needed to stay competitive and keep employees focused. They also say funding to HOPE has increased.